Help from old Friends
by Nil1875
Summary: Cloud and Tifa get a bit of help from some old friends. NOT serious. Cute Fluff. OOCness. Post AC. K. R


_Cloud?_

'Aeris?'

Cloud sat by the pool in the chapel. It had been two moths since he had seen her and Zack leave. Now as he traced his fingers on the water he once more heard her voice.

_What are you doing here?_

'Thinking.'

_About?_

Cloud sighed. So many thoughts ran through his head. Marlene, Denzal, The delivery service, the bar, Tifa...

'Everything,' he replied at last.

_Hmm...I would have thought that by now you would have thought enough about her to tell her._

'What?'

_Tifa. Why haven't you told her you love her?_

'She deserves better than me.'

_Have it your way Cloud. Just know that your hurting her._

Cloud didn't say anything. There was complete silence.

'Aeris?' Cloud finally ventured. There was no response. Sighing he got up and replacing his glove, headed back to the bar.

----

"He still won't tell her?"

"No," sighed Aeris.

Zack shook his head. "Maybe I shouldn't have stopped calling him a chicken wuss. It's a title he still obviously deserves."

"Looks like we'll have to take matters into our own hands," commented Aeris.

Zack just smirked.

----

Tifa scooped tomato sauce on the spaghetti and took the bowl to the table.

"Dinner!" she called up the stairs.

Marlene and Denzal came running down a few moments later and sat at their places. Then Denzal sighed.

"Tifa? Where's Cloud?"

Tifa opened her mouth to say she didn't know, when the door opened.

"Do I smell spaghetti?" asked the spiky haired blond.

Tifa smiled. She had discovered a few weeks ago that it was his favorite food. She nodded to for him to sit and went back to the kitchen to get the bread. As she picked up the loaf she heard a familiar voice.

_It's been a while Tifa._

Tifa looked around in shock. There stood Aeris. She was smiling. She was also, Tifa noticed with some amusement, semitransparent.

"Aeris? What are you doing here?"

_Making sure something happens. Something that should have happened years ago._

"What?" Tifa began but Aeris vanished. Shaking her head she when back to the dinning room. Marlene and Denzal were already gone.

"Was I in there that long? asked Tifa eyeing the empty seats.

"No," said Cloud. "Denzal said they were in the middle of a game and wanted to finish it."

"Oh." said Tifa. She smiled. Her eyes wandered to Cloud as she sat down. He looked up and their eyes met. The room seemed to fill with electricity. Their gaze held for a few more seconds before Tifa blushed and looked away. They ate in silence for a few minutes.

"Where were you?" asked Tifa suddenly, having regained the courage to speak.

"The chapel," he said softly, looking at his plate.

"Why?"

Cloud smiled a little. "I had a lot to think about. When I touched the water I heard Aeris. She asked me the same thing. Why I was there. She wanted to know what I was thinking about. I told her then she just...vanished."

"You saw Aeris?"

Cloud nodded. Tifa looked down at her plate somewhat sad. Cloud watched, knowing what she was thinking about. Then he heard it.

_You don't reach across that damm table and take her hand right now then I reserve the right to call you a chicken wuss again._

Cloud's mouth dropped open. 'Zack?'

Tifa looked at him slightly worried. He looked shocked. What was he thingking about?

"Cloud?" she ventured. Then she heard her again. _Tifa. Take his hand. Now._

'Aeris? What the heck is going on?' her mind asked. 'What's wrong with cloud?'

Tifa heard a small giggle, then silence.

Cloud shook his head. Did he just hear Zack tell him to take Tifa's hand? _Dammit you pathetic, little..._

_Now now Zack don't be harsh, _giggled Aeris.

_Well it's not my fault he's a complete and total IDIOT!_ Zack shouted the last word for Cloud's benefit.

Cloud stood up and put his hands over his ears. He waked up the stairs to his room. When he reached the first stair Zack started chanting.

_Chicken wuss, chicken wuss, chicken wuss,_

Over and over and over.

Tifa followed Cloud up the stairs, a worried look on her face. Why was he holding his head? Was something wrong?

_Go to him._

Tifa was now completely confused.

'I AM NOT A CHICKEN!'

_Then tell her how you feel, kiss her, do something for the love of-_

_Zack language!_

_Chicken wuss, chicken wuss, chicken wuss,_

"Get the hell out of my head!" muttered Cloud.

_Admit it!_

Cloud yelled in frustration. Tifa reached up and put a hand on his shoulder. He spun around and grabbed her wrist. She saw a look of surprise, frustration, and most confusing, love, in his blue eyes.

A million thought raced through Cloud's head. Then they all stopped and his heart took over. All his bottled up feelings were released. He loosened his grip on her wrist, and ran his thumb over her palm. He took a step forward.

Suddenly Tifa found herself roughly shoved into the wall. She tried to move but Cloud's entire body was pressed against hers, pinning her to the wall. His face was close to hers. So close she could fell his warm breath on her lips.

"Tifa," he whispered. Zack's chant stopped in anticipation.

"What?" asked Tifa breathlessly.

"I love you," whispered Cloud as he kissed her.

"I told you this would work."

The kiss was broken as Cloud spun around to face the voice behind him. Tifa stared. There stood a smiling Aeris and a smirking Zack.

"Well now they can be happy," said Aeris.

"What the?" said Tifa.

Zack slung his arm around Aeris' shoulder and grinned. "We got sick of watching you two lovesick idiots avoid each other."

Cloud gave his friend a glare. "If you weren't already dead I would kill you."

Zack just laughed as he and Aeris faded. "We're coming to the wedding!" his voice echoed through the room.

Tifa and Cloud looked at each other. Then they smiled and Cloud kissed her.

"Just so you know Cloud, I love you to."

"I'm sorry I waited so long to tell you."

Their lips met in a desperate kiss, as Cloud pulled her to the bed.

FIN

Ok so yeah...lots of OOCness but I thought it was cute. Short cute sappy. Plz review and tell me if you liked it. If you didn't, or don't have a creative suggestion on how to improve the writing and simply hated it, please don't say anything. It really lowers self esteem and at the moment...Well I'm already in a black hole because my friend is seriously p&#g me off. Anyway ignore the RL comment. Just review please.


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